Northern Muriqui - Identification

Identification

Northern muriquis can be individually recognized by their natural markings and facial features, such as fur color and patterning, ear shape, and face shape and pigmentation. Their sex can usually be determined within a week or so of birth, based on the shape and positioning of their genitalia. The structure for Northern Muriqui’s are groups of male and females. Female Muriqui’s are more independent than males, “Females disperse from their natal groups at a mean age of six years.” The female Muriqui also engage in sex with multiple partners, “A a pattern that in other primates has been attributed to various functions such as confusing paternity, reducing male aggression, or ensuring fertilization” A fact to note about the male Muriqui, is that there almost no interaction between the male and infant. On the brief occasion that there is an interaction between the two, the infants would be the one to initiate.